Strike averted at ESB plant as Polish workers re-employed

STRIKE action at Moneypoint power station was averted at the last minute last night as Polish workers who had been sacked and told to return home were taken on by the project’s main contractor.

The move prompted the Technical, Engineering and Electrical Union (TEEU) to call off a day of protest planned for today at the facility which provides 25% of the State’s electricity.

Last night, TEEU regional secretary Pat Guilfoyle said the project’s main contractor Lurgi-Lentjens had agreed to employ a Polish shop steward and two colleagues who earlier this week had been sacked by Polish firm ZRE Katowice. A further sacked worker decided on Monday night to return to Poland.

“We have succeeded in our main objective, which was to secure the re-employment of our members and prevent them being victimised for demanding their rights and those of their fellow workers,” Mr Guilfoyle said.

“I would like to thank the Powergen workers at Moneypoint and other trade unionists who pledged their support to our protest. This was an exemplary display of solidarity by workers who had nothing to gain by their actions except the satisfaction of seeing colleagues vindicated. That is what trade unionism is all about.”

The three concerned, and in particular the shop steward, were instrumental in exposing the plight of Polish workers who were being underpaid while working on the ESB’s €350m station refurbishment.

Polish workers with ZRE were only receiving €5.20 an hour instead of the sectoral rate of €18.97 plus allowances.

Now, as Lurgi-Lentjens workers, the three will receive the full sector rates and all allowances due to them while ZRE has also agreed to pay outstanding arrears to all other employees by April 17.